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Detroitaxle

One door closes, another one opens. Just as Chrysler is working to extricate itself from its deal with Getrag, the Pentastar people are about to announce a deal with ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Chrysler is erecting a plant in Marysville, Michigan that will build axles and employ 900 workers, but word is that the deal will involve ZF signing a long-term commitment to operate the plant.

Before Cerberus took over Chrysler, the Auburn Hills-based automaker announced that it would build a new axle plant in Marysville, MI as part of a broader plan to spend $3 billion on infrastructure upgrades. The new plant is under construction and scheduled to open in 2010, but the three headed dog's keen eye(s) on cash preservation has lead to talks with transmission maker ZF to somehow share the facility. It is unclear at this point what ZF, which is known for its transmissions but also produc

Chrysler is looking to offload two of its axle plants in an effort to limit its in-house parts production. The automaker has already offered to sell both plants to American Axle & Manufacturing and Dana Corp. for $400 million, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal. Unfortunately for Chrysler, however, there hasn't been much interest in the offer. The move could also include the closure of Detroit Axle and the purchase of Chrysler's unfinished plant in Marysville. All of this